Adelaide bus driver speaks on staggering assault numbers as government fast-tracks the roll out of protective screens

An Adelaide bus driver who says he’s been punched in the face while in the driver’s seat estimates two to three drivers are physically assaulted every week.

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Darell Golding knows first-hand just how dangerous the job of a bus driver can be.

The Adelaide driver was assaulted on the job himself four years ago and has revealed the staggering frequency of such incidents.

“I have been assaulted. I’ve been punched in the face while I was in the driver’s seat by a passenger,” he said.

“We shouldn’t have to put up with that.”

On Sunday, the state government announced it will fast-track the roll out of protective screens designed to keep drivers like Mr Golding safe by the end of next year, speeding up the timeline by two years.

Mr Golding estimates two to three drivers are physically assaulted every week while even more experience threats and other abusive behaviour.

Adelaide bus driver Darell Golding estimates two to three bus drivers are assaulted on the job each week. Picture: Natalie Vikhrov

“We’ve needed protection for quite some time so this is a huge step from the government, for us as drivers,” he said.

“There’s probably two or three drivers a week assaulted, physically assaulted.

“But that doesn’t include being spat on, being abused, having your life threatened by either a knife or somebody just verbally threatening us.”

Last year, the government announced 940 buses across the network would be fitted with stainless-steel and polycarbonate screens over a four-year period to protect drivers from violence.

On Sunday, Premier Peter Malinauskas said the time frame for the $9.5 million initiative would be halved.

“It is an intolerable situation when a bus driver goes to work genuinely fearful of whether or not they are attacked during the course of their shift,” he said.

Currently, government-owned buses are fitted with a three-quarter driver screen.

The move comes after the government took part in a roundtable with the Transport Workers Union and bus companies.

The state government is fast tracking the roll out of protective screens for bus drivers on Adelaide Metro buses. Picture: Natalie Vikhrov

Transport Minister Tom Koutsantonis said the government decided to accelerate the work and bring two contractors onto the project because they weren’t satisfied with the way private contractors, including Torrens Transit, were “dealing with their employees in terms of their safety”.

Mr Koutsantonis said the screens will mean drivers can be safe at work.

“We know the stats show there has been a worrying increase in assaults on our drivers in recent years,” he said.

“Assaulting a bus driver is an aggravated offence that can lead to jail – but that deterrent is not enough.”

The Opposition weighed in on the news, but said they had been calling for action for a long time.

“It should not have taken a violent altercation on New Year’s morning to prompt the government into action,” Opposition leader Vincent Tarzia said.

“At the end of the day, South Australians just want to use public transport and not be put in harm’s way — If we want drivers to drive buses, we need to protect them.”

It comes amid wider efforts to boost security on the bus network, with the government extending afternoon patrols across Adelaide’s south, outer north and outer north east routes from 3pm until 1am daily.

The increase adds an extra 63 patrol hours every week on top of earlier arrangements, which ran from 5pm to midnight from Monday to Friday on the southern service, and from 6pm on the outer north.

The outer north eastern O-Bahn services were previously patrolled from 3pm till 11pm Sunday to Thursday and from 6pm to 1am Friday and Saturday.

Meanwhile, on New Year’s Day, 19 people were arrested and charged after a wild mass brawl broke out on an Adelaide Metro bus.

Originally published as Adelaide bus driver speaks on staggering assault numbers as government fast-tracks the roll out of protective screens